Providing Emergency Health Care Services To The Conflict Affected IDPs
In Kacha Ghari Camp

Photo: Nadir Ali IMC/ Pakistan

After the Ramadan ceasefire ended, many were displaced due to ongoing fighting between Taliban militants and Pakistani forces in Banjur Agency, one of the seven Agencies in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas along the border with Afghanistan.

October 3, 2008 - The on-going fighting between local Taliban militants and Pakistani Security forces in Bajaur Agency, one of the seven Agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, displaced a large segment of the population forcing them to move to safer places. The majority of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) crossed over to the neighboring District of Lower Dir, while a significant number had also taken refugee in Mardan, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi and Peshawar Districts.

On August 31, the Government of Pakistan announced a one-month ceasefire during Ramadan. The lull in fighting encouraged most of the IDPs to move back to Bajaur, especially from Lower Dir. However, the situation is still volatile, with heavy fighting going on in some parts of the Bajaur Agency. Despite the ceasefire and return of IDPs to their places of origin, a large number still remains in the government camps and with families and friends.

Due to the continued fighting, a large number of IDPs have again started to move out of the Bajaur Agency. The IDP camps in Mardan and Charsadda District have reached their capacity, while the outflow of IDPs from Bajaur is increasing every day.

To accommodate the increasing number of IDPs, the Government has established a camp in Kacha Ghari Peshawar – on the site of a former Afghan Refugee Camp – for the conflict affected IDPs. UNHCR and Commissionarate for Afghan Refugees are responsible for the camp management.

The IDP families have started arriving at the camp over the weekend. To respond to the health related needs of the IDPs in the camp, International Medical Corps, (IMC) in collaboration with the WHO, has established an emergency basic health unit, which is currently the only health facility, providing urgently needed primary health care services to the IDPs in the Kacha Ghari Camp.

Photo: Nadir Ali / Pakistan

International Medical Corps established an emergency basic health unit, which is currently the only health facility, providing urgently needed primary health care services to the IDPs in the Kacha Ghari Camp.  .

An International Medical Corps doctor and Lady Health Visitors are available in the basic health unit, along with all the essential medicines, and are primary health care services including maternal child heath, antenatal and post natal care, health education and free medicine are being provided to the IDPs. An ambulance is also available for referring the patients to the higher level health facilities, whenever required.

Currently, the International Medical Corps health post is functional from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; there are only 45 IDP families in the camp and the number is increasing. Once the families are registered at the camp, IMC medical staff is screening their health status and providing health coverage. More than 120 patients were seen during two days. IMC will increase the timings of the basic health unit to ensure 24x7 health coverage in the camp soon after the Eid, the time when it is expected that the ceasefire deadline by the Government of Pakistan will end and it is anticipated that a heavy number of IDPs will flee from their place of origin.